Author | Lightnews

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 1d

“Owner Ellen Thomsen, who inherited the miniature steam railroad from her father, told park directors during public comment this week that after 73 years in Tilden she needs a multi-year lease to make capital improvements and plan for succession.”

Tilden's Beloved Steam Train is in Danger of Closing, Owner Warns Bay Area Telegraph

SF Bay Area food, news, politics, culture and tech.

bayareatelegraph.com

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 1d

“The I-team also found six sergeants in the Sheriff's Office who live out of state - in Idaho, Nevada, Texas and Tennessee. Two of them work on the bomb squad where they made almost $600,000 in pay and benefits last year. They're supposed to respond to a bomb threat within one hour”

EXCLUSIVE: Millbrae police chief facing questions for allegedly commuting to work from Idaho

Can a police chief work for a city if he's living 646 miles away? Property records confirm that Millbrae Police Chief Eamonn Allen bought a house outside Boise, Idaho last year as concerns were raised...

abc7news.com

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 1d

Doctors hold the keys to life and death. We grant them a lot for that. And they need to live up to that at critical moments.

This applies to all of us in our own ways.”

Fear, Greed, Civic Virtue and the Fall of the Elites

Members of America’s founding generation had an ambivalent and evolving understanding of...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 2d

“According to June state data, there are 5.5 million Californians on CalFresh, the food nutrition program that supports lower-income residents and families. These include hundreds of thousands of people living in the Bay Area, where Alameda County has the highest share — 176,133…”

CalFresh Benefits Will Be 'Delayed' in November by Government Shutdown, Says State | KQED

The 5.5 million people statewide using SNAP benefits — called CalFresh in California — will see their November payments delayed, according to the Department of Social Services. Here's what to know.

www.kqed.org

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 7d

And what are our representatives going to do? Where are they?

Hands Off and previous No Kings have been significant but we see no leadership. Democracy requires action and people keep showing up. I need our government to show up, too.

Second "No Kings Day" protests the largest single-day political protest ever*, with 5.2-8.2 million participants

Here are the initial results from our crowdsourced crowd-counting estimates

www.gelliottmorris.com

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 7d

Oakland #nokings is getting started

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 10d

“Again, most of us will not be billionaires. But what’s the point of being one if you’re still a groveling sycophant? Or, as it was more artfully put in the King James version: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Marc Benioff exposed himself as craven and hollow. He has company.

Salesforce CEO's inane call for siccing the National Guard on San Francisco is met with performative inanity

missionlocal.org

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 14d

Kcuitario struggles, at first, to sound at the word. When he gets it, Cole congratulates him and walks away. For Kcuitario, it was the beginning of a celebration.

“Goals! Do another, do another!” he says. And then, quietly under his breath, “I’m so smart.”

CA may change how public schools teach kids to read | KCRW

In the 1990s, a reading strategy called “balanced literacy” took over CA public schools. The problem? Kids didn’t learn to read. Now, phonics is making a comeback.

www.kcrw.com

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 17d

“ That may represent the entire San Francisco housing stock of what was once the city’s largest landlord. A separate Sept. 18 filing with the city describes the 66 buildings as the “Veritas SF Portfolio.” “

S.F. housing giant Veritas defaults on $652M debt. 66 buildings now face foreclosure.

Tranche of 1,566 units could be sold as soon as December by San Francisco's former No. 1 landlord, barring deal or repayment of huge debt.

missionlocal.org

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 23d

“The 800 Market property now counts as Fountainhead’s second deeply discounted acquisition in San Francisco. The company also purchased 795 Folsom St. last year for $48.5 million”

Distinctive downtown S.F. building sells for 60% discount. Here’s what the new owner is planning

While the sale price shows how far some downtown San Francisco properties have plummeted in value in recent year, the price also shows a bit of encouragement for the market.

www.sfchronicle.com

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 23d

No way!

Grant Marek @grantmarek.bsky.social · 24d

"Maybe you thought the man behind the Blinking White Guy meme was a young Cary Elwes or an unknown actor from a stock video clip, but all along, he has walked among us right here in San Francisco."

via @dangentile007.bsky.social
www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/a...

The San Francisco man with one of the internet's most viral faces

It may be the most iconic blink on the internet.

www.sfgate.com

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 26d

I get hopeful knowing we have smaller, independent media outlets taking off where the legacy ones have disappeared or cored out.

The Berkeley Scanner turns 3: Help us celebrate today

We've published more than 1,200 stories and now have nearly 1,400 members. Show your support today for our unmatched coverage.

www.berkeleyscanner.com

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · 29d

“But most of the people waiting — who ran the gamut from Gen-Zers to to new parents with strollers to seniors — were shocked to learn of the nonconsensual nature of Baggu’s BART merch. When they did, they were not pleased.”

Baggu made transit merch for a store opening. BART had no idea.

The transit agency was “surprised to see our logo” on gear from the SF-based fashion brand.

sfstandard.com

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 23

Disappointing, but shows the risk in doing the right thing for a lot of elected officials.

“The recall was successful in part because Engardio had alienated his base by championing Prop. K to close the Great Highway, and that created an angry and energized electorate — a movement.”

Mission Local @missionlocal.org · Sep 23

The recall supporters spent just $257K to get rid of Engardio — $178K less than it took to elect him in the first place and far less than his supporters spent trying to prevent a recall.

Here are key data takeaways from the District 4 recall:

missionlocal.org/2025/09/sf-r...

It was cheaper to oust Joel Engardio than to elect him, data shows

Joel Engardio's opponents spent just 1/5 as much per vote as his supporters — and other key data takeaways from the District 4 recall.

missionlocal.org

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 22

That was a wake up call

Bluesky USGS Quakebot @usgs-quakebot.bsky.social · Sep 22

🟡 M4.8 #earthquake detected 3 km ESE of Berkeley, California at 9/22/2025 2:56:12 AM PDT

This reflects data from the U.S. Geological Survey that is subject to change. Visit the USGS page linked below for the latest #quake information

M4.8 - 3 km ESE of Berkeley, California

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake located 3 km ESE of Berkeley, California was detected at 9/22/2025 2:56:12 AM PDT. This information is subject to change. Please visit the USGS event page for up-to-date details.

earthquake.usgs.gov

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 21

“The vision is: how do we create the conditions necessary to make the Tenderloin truly into a place where the children can walk outside and enjoy the basic luxuries that everyone, every other child in the city, gets to enjoy,” said Supervisor Bilal Mahmood

Neighbors Host Ice Cream Social for Kids in SF's Tenderloin, Where There Is No Ice Cream Shop | KQED

A new coalition wants to throw kid-friendly events in the Tenderloin and change perceptions of the neighborhood.

www.kqed.org

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 20

This is wholesome “Erika Guadalupe Ramos Hernández was full of emotions when she became a United State citizens this week during a special ceremony held at Yosemite National Park.”

Central Valley immigrants become US citizens at Yosemite National Park ceremony

Immigrants from 15 countries were naturalized in a special ceremony held at Yosemite’s Glacier Point.

www.fresnobee.com

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 19

Not surprised at all, even downtown most don’t know it exists. “The Oaklandside recently visited four busy commercial districts — Grand Lake, Lakeshore, Fruitvale, and Dimond — to see how many businesses know about MACRO and have called on its team for help.”

We asked Oakland businesses if MACRO helps them. Many had never heard of it

The city’s civilian response program is intended to deal with nonviolent problems and free up the police. Local shop owners say it needs better marketing.

oaklandside.org

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 19

“The first schematic designs were released in June, and designers from Field Operations — the landscape design firm behind the Tunnel Tops park and New York's High Line”

Design Approved For Sparkly Revamp of Powell Street

The three blocks of Powell Street between the cable-car turnaround and Union Square are set to see some light installations, cafe tables, new paving and more under a new proposed revamp.

sfist.com

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 18

"Back in 1970, there were 90,000 kids in SF's public school system. Now, it's 50,046 as of the 2024-25 school year.

[...] in the last ten years, Oakland's percentage of kids under 18 fell from 21% to 18%, a fairly steep decline. Similarly, San Jose's percentage dropped from 23% to 19%."

San Francisco Remains a Safe Haven for the Childless and Child-Averse

San Francisco is holding onto its title as the country's most childless major city, and in fact the numbers haven't budged in a decade.

sfist.com

Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 18

"The registrar expects a “nice handoff” and doesn’t anticipate any problems with the June 2026 primary elections.

As for the county registrar’s IT functions, Dupuis said the 230-person team is “solid,” noting that they recently received an award for their performance by a good-government group."

Top county election official to step down

Tim Dupuis, the long-time Alameda County election official, will leave after years of reviews into his performance.

oaklandside.org

Reposted by Annette

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · Sep 17

I know I’m naive but it is pretty wild that the president of the United States just publicly declares he and the military killed some guys on a boat, multiple times, and the entirety of Congress doesn’t immediately hit a giant red IMPEACH button

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 16

“The San Francisco public already knew about the not-all-above-board spending practices of disgraced former Human Rights Commission chief and Dream Keeper program head Sheryl Davis, but a new city audit puts an eye-popping pricetag on it: $4.6 million.”

City Audit Further Details $4.6M In Misspent Dollars By Former SF Human Rights Commission Chief

The San Francisco public already knew about the not-all-above-board spending practices of disgraced former Human Rights Commission chief and Dream Keeper program head Sheryl Davis, but a new city audi...

sfist.com

Reposted by Annette

The Associated Press @apnews.com · Sep 16

BREAKING: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, a team of independent experts commissioned by the U.N.’s Human Rights Council concludes.

Human rights experts join rising chorus that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza

A team of experts commissioned by the U.N.'s Human Rights Council has concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

bit.ly

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Annette @shoresofcal.bsky.social · Sep 15

This part also doesn’t speak highly of Union Square, oddly enough. “In contrast, nearby Union Square has been attracting new stores, including Nintendo and, on Monday, the opening of Labubu toy maker Pop Mart. A new Ross store also opened downacross the street from the mall at 901 Market St.”

S.F.’s biggest mall is now 93% empty as its value drops another 25%, report says

Adding to the mall’s woes, the report also states that San Francisco Centre mall has defaulted on its ground lease.

www.sfchronicle.com